AFTER BEDTIME CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup toasted sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 pinches ground cardamon
2 pinches ground white pepper
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until pale and well-blended. Add vanilla, cardamom and pepper, mix well. Add eggs, mix well. Add salt and baking soda, mix well. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix gently until incorporated. Finally, fold in 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Spoon 3/4 oz blobs (#40 cookie scoop, or about a tablespoon) onto a greased cookie sheet or silpat. Set timer for 9 – 12 minutes, and put cookies on middle rack. At halfway through your cooking time, turn cookies. Check at 9 minutes. If the edges are starting to brown slightly, they are done. (These cookies will be paler overall than your standard chocolate chip cookie.)

If not, bake an additional 1 minute at a time. (Of course, if you like dark and crispy cookies, go straight for the 12 minutes.) Allow to sit on pan for a minute or two, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.